Ten Kisses
by yesimadramaqueen
Summary: Ten drabbles about kissing. Fluff, enter at your own risk.
1. The Thank You Kiss

_**The Thank You Kiss**_

She peered out from behind the curtains only momentarily. She forgot about what a rush it was to be waiting to take the stage. Honestly she owed Simon and the captain for even letting her participate.

A blown capacitor and a few shorted out wires later, they had practically crash landed on the tiny moon. If it hadn't been for her quick piloting, the ship would have surely been blown to a million pieces. Kaylee said with a layer of optimism, "_We're gonna have to stay put for a lil' bit, Cap'in. Don't worry. I'll get her back 'n shiny again!_"

Mal had frowned and asked flat out, "_How long's a 'lil' bit'?"_

She bit her lip and fidgeted with her wrench, "_Um…a month or so."_

River went crazy being kept inside. After finding out about the dance company, she asked if she could try out. It took some arm twisting and convincing, but both the captain and her brother agreed and there she was.

Simon wasn't there to see her dance. He was injured after attempting to help Kaylee with the repairs. It was strange to be about to perform without him there. He always came, even if their parents didn't. He was front and center. Now she had no one supporting her.

She peered out once more and her eyes found someone else. Malcolm Reynolds.

Her heart skipped a beat. He actually _came_. She told him when and where it was, just because he asked. But he was _there_. She wanted to run out and thank him, but it was almost show time.

After the show ended and she got out of her costume and into her usual clothes, she darted out to find him. He was walking around the lobby like he was lost. She caught his eye and they exchanged smiles. She flew at him, hugging him tightly.

"What are you doing here?" she laughed rhetorically. He answered anyway.

"I'm here to see you. You were great."

She blushed. "Didn't you have a job today?"

"Yeah well…Zoe's handlin' it. I wasn't really needed on it anyhow."

"You blew off a job and came all of this way to see me?" she gaped. The dance hall was about an hour from Serenity by shuttle.

"Yeah I did."

She pulled him down and kissed him roughly. "Thank you, Captain."

He grinned, slightly breathless from the sudden attack. "Don't mention it, darlin'."

_(This one is for Patrick Roberge, the shiniest guy in the 'verse. He literally did this for me. It was just too gorram sweet to __**not**__ be made into a fic, and I don't think that I did it justice…)_


	2. The Goodbye Kiss

_**The Goodbye Kiss**_

"How long will you be gone?" River asked with a hint of sadness in her voice.

"Depends, little albatross," Mal replied as he snapped his gun belt on.

"Don't know if things will go pear-shaped or not. At least two days though. I'd take you with me and keep Zoe with the ship, but these are Zoe's people. They're countin' on her bein' there and I need Jayne with us too, so you're in charge. Feel free to order your doc brother 'round."

"Leaving your ship with a crazy person, Captain."

"We're all a little crazy. I trust you."

She beamed and handed him his coat. He inclined his head in thanks and slipped it on.

"She'll be lonely," River said quietly as she walked him towards the shuttle.

"Will she?" he asked with raised eyebrows. She could be talking about Serenity or herself. He wasn't sure which one it was.

"Both."

He smiled at her. They had gotten pretty close. "I'll miss you too, little one."

He nodded to Kaylee and Simon as they passed them in the cargo bay. They went up the steps towards the shuttle. Zoe and Jayne were already inside the shuttle waiting.

"Take care, darlin'. Don't leave without us," he joked. She gave him a small smile.

"Goodbye, Captain."

She turned around and started walking down the catwalk with sad eyes. He watched her walk away all depressed-like, figuring that she didn't get a proper goodbye.

"Hold on," he called. She stopped and turned around with an unreadable expression.

He walked towards her. "I'll be back soon."

She nodded. He impulsively hugged her. She hugged back and then put her arms around his neck, effectively pulling him down into a kiss. He was startled by the sensation of her soft lips pressed against his at first, but then he shut his eyes and kissed back. She pulled him in, kissing back harder. They finally broke apart. She looked up at him with a heart-stopping smile. He almost hated to leave.

"See you in a few days, Captain."

"See you then."

He reluctantly let go of her with a grin and then returned to the shuttle. Jayne looked at him like he had three heads and Zoe raised her eyebrow with an unspoken, _"Sir?"_

"Just sayin' goodbye…" Mal smiled.

"Didn't much use yer words, Mal…" Jayne snickered.

"Don't make me toss you outta this shuttle," he warned. Jayne shut up and Zoe started to laugh.


	3. The Rain Kiss

_**The Rain Kiss**_

There was something about the rain. He wasn't sure what it was. Maybe it was the girl standing _in_ the ruttin' rain getting soaking wet. She was standing there, head tilted to one side, eyes to the sky, hair falling to the left cascading towards the muddy earth, summer dress clinging to her little figure. It would have been more mystifying if she wasn't standing in the middle of a _gorram hurricane_!

He pulled his coat closer around himself and then darted out to her side. Thunder cracked ominously in the distance.

"River, what the hell are you doin'?" he shouted.

"Living, Captain. Rain makes her feel alive."

"Don't need rain to feel alive, darlin'. You can live _inside_. Come on."

He looked at her all manner of shivering and opened his coat without a word. She gratefully slipped in and they went into a nearby inn for shelter.

Jayne and Zoe had already left with the cargo. They were supposed to follow behind them, but the rain started shortly thereafter. He was looking for a place to duck into until it died down when she stood in the middle of it.

The inn's owner let them take refuge in the lobby while he checked on the guests.

Rain found its way in through cracks in the wood and plaster while the wind attacked the windows and doors.

She grabbed his shirt with both hands and pushed him down roughly onto the couch just as a window broke right where he had been standing. He would have had a million little pieces of glass in him if she hadn't pushed him down.

Suddenly he was very aware of how close to him she was. He could feel her breath on his mouth and her tiny hands still clutching his shirt. It was like she was hovering above him instead of lying on top of him she was so light. She realized how close they were too.

Before he could do anything, her mouth was pressed to his and they were kissing a little too passionately to be out in the open. When they finally pulled apart, which felt like hours, she got off of him and sat down on a chair beside the couch.

"You were correct," she stated.

"About…?"

"Don't need rain to feel alive…" she smiled at him.

"No…you don't…" he agreed. His lips were still dancing from the dancer's kiss.

They both agreed that there was definitely something about the rain…


	4. The Coat Kiss

_**The Coat Kiss**_

"I'll be along in a minute," Mal grunted irritably.

"Whatever you say, Sir…" Zoe replied carefully before following Jayne towards the cargo bay.

He had gotten stabbed in the shoulder on their last job. He was moving slower than usual and his coat was fighting back. Everywhere he moved he felt shots of pain surge down to his fingertips.

"Ai ya ju qingwa-chuo mugou waitao!" he cursed harshly after attempting to pull the coat on again.

"Heard you," she said from the corridor.

"Conjure the whole gorram rock heard me," he growled.

River floated over to him and took the coat from him. He didn't argue. He was mad at the damn thing. If it hadn't been snowing outside he would have forgotten about fighting with it and marched on out anyway.

"Arm," she instructed as she held the coat open behind him. He easily slipped his arm, the one attached to the good shoulder, into the sleeve.

She walked around towards the front of his other side. He moved his arm towards the other sleeve painfully. She gingerly took it in her hand and helped it through.

"Thanks," he muttered.

"My pleasure, Captain."

She loved that coat. It was soft and smelled like him. She fixed the sleeves and then the front lightly to prolong the time before he had to leave. He wasn't raring to go, so he allowed the distraction.

"Got a readin' on this one?" he asked while she fidgeted with his collar.

"Nothing substantial."

Her eyes met his. She made a face and started to smooth down some of his ruffled hair.

"Thanks, lil' albatross. I have to get goin' now."

She gripped the front of his coat and pulled him down into a quick kiss on the lips.

"Be careful, Captain."

She smoothed down the wrinkles her hands made and then simply skipped away leaving him confounded. He touched his mouth like he was expecting there to be blood or something on his lips. There had to be something, he figured, since they still _tasted_ like her.

"Sir?" Zoe called.

He walked down to the cargo bay. "Sorry. I had to get my coat on."

Zoe looked at him oddly, trying to figure out what there was about putting a coat on that could make him smile like that.

_(Ai ya ju qingwa-chuo mugou waitao: Damn stubborn frog-sucking bitch coat)_


	5. The Pier Kiss

_**The Pier Kiss**_

The beach was a nice place to go on vacation, even if the vacation only lasted for a few hours. They walked right into a crab fest. Mal was surprised when the locals asked them to join in. Jayne got right to drinking and went off with a pretty little thing only five minutes later.

"This is somethin' else," Zoe sighed as she handed Mal a bottle of liquor.

"The party or the doc over there?" Mal smirked, taking a nip. Simon was out in the middle of the dance floor with Kaylee _laughing_ for once.

"Both."

"I think Simon is the real attraction here," River giggled from Mal's right. Mal offered her the bottle. She waved it off.

"'Cuse me miss," a ninety year old man asked as he hobbled over to River. "Would you fancy a dance?"

She grinned at Mal as she was whisked off. He laughed while he watched them dance. She kept shooting him hysterical looks. For an old man, the guy had pep.

After the song ended she went back over to Mal and took his hand by force. He gave the bottle to Zoe as he followed.

"Sir…?"

He shrugged at her and followed River away from everyone else. They didn't go too far, just far enough to be alone. They stood alone at the edge of the pier looking over the moonlit ocean waves.

"Why'd you take me out here?" he asked. "Oh no…you ain't gonna…kill me are you?"

She laughed. "Only if you decline."

"Decline what?"

"My request for a dance."

"I have no choice…" he grinned as he extended his hand.

"Not that kind of dance."

She put her arms around his neck and they started to sway to the music.

_I thought I had seen pretty girls in my time. That was before I met you. I never saw one I wanted for mine. That was before I met you. _

"We could of danced back there, darlin'…" he whispered into her hair.

"I didn't want anyone cutting in."

He smiled at her and then picked her up at the waist. They moved in a slow circle to the music. She leaned down and kissed him sweetly. He kissed back and then set her down carefully. The music seemed to fit his mood perfectly.

_I thought I'd been kissed and I thought that I'd been loved, but that was before I met you..._

He leaned down and sang softly, "That was before I met you…"

_(Disclaimer- lyrics belong to Jule Garrish)_


	6. The Anesthetic Kiss

_**The Anesthetic Kiss**_

"YOU THINK?" the captain's voice roared.

Simon followed it into the infirmary with Kaylee in tow.

"What's all the shoutin' 'bout?" she asked Simon in a whisper. He didn't get a chance to answer.

"It's nothing-" River's voice said from somewhere.

"NOTHIN'? YOU COULD OF GOTTEN YOURSELF KILLED!" Mal argued.

"Sir-" Zoe attempted.

"Stay out of this," he snapped.

"I had to!" River shouted.

"Had to? You didn't have to do anything!"

Simon got a look at his sister. She was bruised and bleeding from several different places.

"Mei mei? What happened?" he asked, effectively stopping the shouting…for the time being.

"I'll tell you what happened! Your sis went crazy assassin big damn hero on us and almost got herself killed!" Mal explained.

"I had to or they would have taken the money back and the cargo after killing us!"

"Well maybehaps you could of told us that and let us help 'fore you got beat to hell!"

"I couldn't! I had to move fast!"

Simon moved forward to examine her. She pushed him away. "I have a ship to pilot," she growled as she took off for the bridge.

Mal waited a moment and then cursed harshly in Chinese before following, leaving everyone to contemplate his strong feelings on the matter.

"Go away," she spat before he even got all of the way up the steps. "I don't need another lecture."

"I'm here to say sorry…" he announced as he stood beside her at the pilot's chair. "I don't like it when you get hurt is all."

"You could have been nicer about it."

"I get testy when I get scared."

She smirked. "You don't get scared."

"I do when it's worryin' on my crew. Let your doc brother take a look at you."

"I'm fine. He'll just stick me with needles and make me sleep."

"Let me take a look at you. Real quick."

She sighed and then swiveled around. He physically winced at her bruises and cuts. He carefully took her chin in his hand and turned her face from side to side. He could tell that it hurt her when he did. He stopped and leaned down so he was eye level.

"Next time you plan on gettin' hurt, let me know so I can get the worst of it."

She nodded. He carefully put his hand on the nape of her neck and pulled her into a quick kiss on her bloody and swollen lip.

"I'll take your examination over Simon's any day," she muttered.

"Why's that?"

"That was better than anesthetics."

"Glad to hear it."


	7. The Ice Planet Kiss

_**The Ice Planet Kiss**_

"My food is problematic," River stated as she held her ice planet tenuously in her hand.

"Is it now?" Mal asked unable to wipe the smirk off of his face.

"It is."

They walked down the street in silence for awhile. Everyone else was spread out through the dusty town getting what they needed for the ship. Since Mal and River got everything on their list already, they decided to relax a bit.

He couldn't help laughing as she attempted to eat her snack. It kept moving away from her mouth at the last second. She was getting slightly put out with it.

"Let me show you how it's done."

She gave him an incredulous look, but passed it to him curiously. He easily took a bite and then pushed it back to her.

"It's in the teeff," he explained thickly through his mouth full of cold sugary goodness.

"It's too cold to bite," she complained.

"Well it's just gonna bounce off of your mouth if you don't bite into it."

She huffed and tried again. It didn't work. She shot him a dirty look when he laughed again.

"Okay. Hand it to me. I'll hold the gorram thing steady."

She gave it to him again. He held it still and then waited until she was just close enough…

_-Whack-_

He grinned mischievously like a cat that just devoured a canary. She glared at him and brought her hand to her face to wipe off some of the freezing substance that he just shoved in it.

"Not funny," she growled.

"It was all in good fun."

"I have nothing I can utilize to wipe the sticky compound off of my face!" she hissed.

"Sure you do!"

"What could I possibly-"

He leaned in and kissed her on the side of the mouth where most of the ice planet had gone. He worked his way across her lips to the other side until most of the "sticky compound" was gone.

"I think I got it a-"

_-Whack-_

She had shoved the rest of the ice planet into his face, effectively cutting off his sentence.

"_Payback_."

"I like the sound of-"

"Shut up, Captain."

She grabbed him and kissed away the remnants of her snack like he had done.

"I think that I prefer eating ice planets _that_ way," she decided as they walked back to the ship.

"Me too…" he agreed with a smile.


	8. The Cliff Kiss

_**The Cliff Kiss**_

"You've been here before?" River asked.

"Yeah, but we ain't all the way there yet…" Mal replied as he held a few branches back so she could walk by.

They wandered through the woods a little further until they broke through to the spot he was trying to take her to. She looked out and then turned towards him with the most enchanting smile he had ever seen.

"It's beautiful."

"That it is…" he agreed. She blushed knowing that it _wasn't_ the landscape he was talking about.

They were on a small cliff by the deep blue water. It reminded her of his eyes. The sky was a purer, solid blue free of clouds.

"Over this way," he said quietly so he wouldn't take away from the moment.

They walked over to the other side closer to the water. He motioned to the small patch of grass and she nodded and sat down. He joined her.

He was slightly nervous being up there all alone with her, especially if she caught wind of some of the things he had floating around in his head... But she had been complaining about being stuck in the ship and he blurted out the invitation, recalling the spot from the last time he was on the planet. She accepted and there they were.

He was jolted out of his thoughts and to the present when he felt her drape across his lap. The wind caught her hair in just the right way.

"I like this place," she grinned.

"I thought you would…" he muttered.

He didn't know where she stood, but he knew where he did. There was only one way to find out. He swallowed his nerves and cautiously put his arm around her tiny waist as she lay across him gazing out at the water. When she didn't move or even comment on the placement of his arm, he gently brushed some of her windswept hair out of her face.

She looked up at him after she felt his hand brush across her cheek. He froze worried that he had made her uncomfortable. She smiled at him reassuringly. He smiled back, leaving his hand on her cheek as he leaned down and lightly kissed her. She pulled him down further and kissed back.

"Mal…" Jayne crackled through the comm. they brought along. He groaned and took it out of his coat pocket.

"What?" he growled.

"Need you two back on the ship."

"Fine. We'll be there in a few."

She smiled sympathetically and then gracefully stood. Her hand slid through his hair as she passed, sending pleasant chills down his spine.

"Next time we're here we'll bring a blanket…" she said with a suggestive look in her eyes conveying her not-so-innocent intentions with her captain.

He grinned at her. "How soon can we come back?"


	9. The Goodnight Kiss

_**The Goodnight Kiss**_

Mal hesitated in the entry way trying to decide whether to disturb her or not. She looked all manner of peaceful.

River was on the couch near the kitchen wit her legs curled against her chest and her arms hanging around them loosely. She had a faint smile on her face and her eyes were closed. He figured that she was dreaming. Now that was something he'd pay to see. Her dreams had to be something else.

He tiptoed, as much as he could tip toe in combat boots, towards the cupboards. His sleep had been interrupted by hunger nagging at his stomach. Jayne made him skip dinner to go talk to their contacts about a new job something about money and their dwindling ammo supply. Being the captain, he listened and went along.

She shifted slightly without waking. He knew that she had been sleeping around the crew's bunks since Simon left the passenger dorms. He'd find her asleep on the bridge or in Kaylee's hammock. There was the one time he found her under the table. He smiled to himself, recalling the memory.

He padded silently over to the couch while nibbling on a protein bar. He liked to watch her sleep. He paused, considering that last thought realizing how creepifying it sounded. She had to be freezing. He needed to talk to her about her nightclothes—or lack thereof—because if Jayne stumbled onto her...well, she'd probably kill him while she was still out.

He lifted a blanket carefully over her so he wouldn't wake her. The last thing he needed was to startle an out of it assassin. He'd be dead before he hit the floor. After taking a seat on the chair opposite of the couch, he continued to watch his little albatross sleep peacefully and finish his snack.

Sighing heavily, he stood up figuring he should try to get some restful sleep like his pretty little pilot was. On an impulse, he stood beside her and leaned down. He was aiming for her forehead, but at the last minute she readjusted and his lips landed on hers.

Her arms curled around his neck bringing him in closer and she kissed back hard. He gave into the kiss a little too enthusiastically, he conjured. She pulled away and settled back against the couch.

"Hello…" she said sleepily.

"How long did you know I was there?"

"Since you walked in. You didn't give me a reason to wake up until…" she smiled tiredly and rolled over without finishing the thought. Not that she needed to… "Goodnight, Captain."

He smiled to himself. "G'night, darlin'."


	10. The Shut up Kiss

_**The Shut up Kiss**_

"It's a big deal," Mal said for the hundredth time.

"I know it is," River huffed, folding her arms defensively. She turned around towards the ladder so she could roll your eyes.

"Don't make gorram faces," he growled. "I know what you're doin'!"

"Why couldn't Kaylee help?" she asked as she turned back towards him.

"She's busy."

"You didn't even _ask_ her!"

"She liked that ruttin' tux! I don't trust her opinion. Now _help me_."

He had to blend into a fancy ballroom crowd for one of their more important thieving jobs and he was clueless as to what he should wear. River was there to help pick something out.

"It doesn't matter what you wear," she decided. "You look good no matter what."

She froze realizing what she had just said. He heard it and looked at her curiously.

"Did you just imply that I'm good lookin'?"

"I…by 'imply' what do you…I mean…" she fumbled.

He got a smirk on his face and set the shirt he was holding down. "You did."

"No…"

"I think so. I think you like me."

"I do in a captain/pilot…or a…"

"For a genius, you ain't too good with words," he teased.

"I like you in a…respectful…camaraderie…not in a…I mean to say that I..."

He was enjoying watching her stutter and blush way too much. "Now I see the resemblance between you 'n Simon. You both can't talk to the opposite sex to save your lives!"

"I can!"

"Then I want a straight answer! Do you or do you not like me?"

"I like you in a nonromantic way but I'm not implying that in an offensive manner. I mean to say that you are a very desirable person, but I do not have those feelings if that's what you were trying to suggest, suggest that I have for you because I don't and I do not even see how that could be quantified based on the evidence given seeing that a comment about how you would appear was the only basis for your entire thesis! Basically, I believe that it was founded unjustly and I shouldn't be forced to make a statement on the spot like that, so-"

He had advanced towards her already. He could see how red she was getting from across the room. After she had reached what seemed like her third paragraph, he simply grabbed her and kissed her.

"What was that for?" she asked breathlessly.

"To shut you the hell up. You're obviously lyin'. You kissed back…" he smirked.

"You put me on the spot, Captain."

"I don't care. _**You**_kissed _back._"

"And _**you**_ kissed _me_."

"I sure did. I plan on doin' that again."

"Do you?" she asked with raised eyebrows.

"Yes I do."

"I'll hold you to that."

"You better."

**The end**

_I wanted to write some drabbles just about kissing since most of my latest fics haven't had any kissing in it. I hope you enjoyed it! _


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